New Fiat 500 - Dining Room Table Reviews

[ugkette]

Video sympa. Interessante Montreal

[justnotcricket]

P.S. Shame about your bridges, always thought it was a great city and you have one of the best GP tracks.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket Alas, the bridges weren't maintained as well as they should have been. It's so bad, even the rebar inside the cement has started to deteriorate! If you lose that, the structural integrity of the entire bridge is compromised!

True about the GP track. The F1 drivers love it even though it's murder on the brakes, and European broadcasters love it because the race airs in Europe during early prime time hours due to the five to eight hour time zone difference.

[justnotcricket]

@TheCanadianPublic I love it for that reason too (European) but I love it mostly because it's mental. Utterly mental.

On another note I have to disagree about the PT cruiser comment and the dash being plasticy. Even the idea, that the looks are controversial (only love or only hate) are totally alien to me. Cultural differences perhaps? Sadly the rounded ugliness of others in its class is all too true. but for the sake of aerodynamic efficiency we wont get anything else, at least not often :(

[justnotcricket]

@justnotcricket Also Is it true that the seats have been made .... erm.... 'more comfortable' for the American market? And do Canadians drive as many automatics as the Americans. Over here the most embarrassing thing our idiots do to cars are those god awful hot hatch body kits. At least you don't have those, it's something truly to be thankful for.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket There are body kits here as well, but they're more subtle, especially since a car could theoretically be impounded if it appears as if it were modified specifically for street racing, which is illegal.

And yes, many Canadians do drive automatics (no idea of the ratio with American drivers), including me who only has a total of TWO HOURS of driving experience with manual gearboxes. I couldn't even figure out how to get a VW Passat into reverse gear! :)

[justnotcricket]

@TheCanadianPublic You should probably delete that comment (and this one). You wont be taken seriously as a car person. quick before no ones looking :)

Clutch driving is easy and in some toyota's safer too :)

But seriously, they're more efficient, lighter and more responsive, try them. You'll like it.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket What?!? Delete the posts? And have people miss the hilarity of seeing a manual n00b completely burn the clutch off a brand new car? No freakin' way! :)

Unfortunately, because North American car rental agencies only have automatics, I've never had the chance to drive manuals on a regular basis.

I'll definitely try a manual one day. It just has to be done on quiet roads so I can gain more experience without putting anyone's life in danger.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket If you think the race is mental, you should try driving in the city! :)

Or worse yet, take a cab ride! :D

As I've mentioned to another commenter, the plastic-like feel may have been due to the all-black colour scheme. Add a bit of variety, and it definitely looks better.

And the love-hate relationship is definitely a cultural issue, especially in the USA where people still prefer huge gas guzzling behemoths that are PERCEIVED to be safer than subcompacts.

[justnotcricket]

@TheCanadianPublic Didn't know that, I thought sub compacts were less safe. Compacts on the other hand are as safe as anything else bigger than it is. re: the looks, the fake bakelite really works for me but then again I have better taste :)

Must try a Montreal cab ride some day, I've been in a German cab with a Turkish driver as a student. Let's just say the soundtrack should have been Wagner's ride of the Valkyries. S class mercs and autobahns are fun.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket Until a lorry cuts you off in the left lane and steers you into the center divide! :)

You just gave me an idea for a Top Gear style mini race. A car versus the Schwebebahn in Wuppertal!

Large vehicle have a larger mass, and can be top-heavy, which increases the risk of a roll-over. Sub-compacts can be safe as long as they're properly designed. Fifth Gear crashed a Smart car into a concrete barrier at high speed, demonstrating the crash was very survivable.

[justnotcricket]

@TheCanadianPublic I remember that episode, it was good and useful however, 'safety' is a more general, holistic term and applies to other aspects too. something as small as a smart (horrible thing but good design) don't fare as well as compacts in real world tests - side on collisions or head on collisions with larger vehicles.

Topgear has been to Germany enough times, I wanna see them in Australia or Canada playing with massive industrial machinery in those mines. Or that jet train thing!!!

[TheCanadianPublic]

@justnotcricket I don't want to see them in Canada, at least not until I've produced my own road trip special: a trip across Canada on the Trans-Canada Highway, from St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, B.C.

An eight THOUSAND kilometer long road trip!

There will be challenges along the way, including the nationwide challenge of who can complete the trip with the least amount of cash, including purchasing the car and the fuel, plus any repair costs.

Should be majestic!

[justnotcricket]

@TheCanadianPublic Sounds awesome, good luck. But I still wanna see them play on that train. Bonvoyage sir.

[justnotcricket]

good review re: the interior options. You've distilled it down what matters about this car, thank you.

[jopiira]

Hahaa... This music is from some porn film 4:00... Sounds like it :D

[TheCanadianPublic]

@projectrlady Man! Don't tell me it's amateur night at the Troll Factory again! :)

[foxh8er]

How the hell did you record the car so well from the outside?

Did you get another camera and tape it to the back of another car?

[TheCanadianPublic]

@foxh8er All we used was my Canon HF R10 mounted on a weighed down mini tripod, aimed outside the rear window of the mini-van that was used as the camera car. The dynamic image stabilizer was turned on, and the auto-focus was turned off.

The shots turned out way better than any of us could have ever expected from a first time tryout. All I had to do during editing was reframe the shots just a bit, and apply some color correction due to the tinted windows.

[postalshack]

Love the wry little bits of humour. Arguably better done than some 'major' reviews since it captures the real life, will-I-like-the-daily-drive experience.

[TheHoth1]

Well done! I love the this review. It is very logical and it has the right amount of humor.

[squeekyrambler]

this is the first review I have seen that complains about the interior being plasitc?

most think it is beautiful.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@squeekyrambler It's nicely designed, I'll give it that. But it still felt plastic-like, possibly due to the black colour exposing all of the flaws. At least the controls were all in the right place, which helped a lot in keeping my eyes on the road.

Much better than the Ford Edge I rode in recently. The Ford Sync system made me think "WTF?!?" How the heck are you suppose to use this thing while driving? Major potentially fatal distraction here!

And I was just the passenger!

[zZZzzzSnooze2nd]

You can fit 2 10" subwoofers back there.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@zZZzzzSnooze2nd What if you rip out the rear seats? :)

[zZZzzzSnooze2nd]

@TheCanadianPublic 2 18" Wall setup :)

[TheCanadianPublic]

And thanks for watching!

[mdehee]

Very well done:-) meat & potato all there.

Subscribing for sure

Made me very proud since it was a 'Canadian' review;, where I live. Proud to be one.

Thank you for taking the time performing such review - THE CANADIAN WAY.

[TheCanadianPublic]

@mdehee I try to feature identifiable landmarks in all of my product reviews that include exterior shots. I don't hide my origins like most professional Canadian production companies always seem to do. "Ack! A MAPLE LEAF! Hide that! No one must know who or where we are!" :)

[mdehee]

@TheCanadianPublic I share the same feeling you expressed in the end of your message; unfortunately I believe I have to acknowledge what you said about the professional Canadian ...'

Anyhow, it's a pleasure to know you being out there and doing what you do best and thank you:-)

[RedBullARG]

Finally a good review that doesnt say but a focus its bigger or a mini because its more powerfull

[ThunderRodriguez]

Very good review! Consider yourself subscribed.

[stihlyaugenblick]

Nicely done.

[Folgore8585]

Great review, fair and balanced

[wolfdale00]

Good review!

[halifaxstar]

LOL That was a hilarious review. I love your reviews. Keep it up!